Since our founding, Southbank has hosted numerous staged readings and produced six world premieres. Starting in 2026, we are taking our commitment to new play development to the next level by creating the Southbank Compass Studio.
With our Compass Studio, Southbank seeks to make history by offering transformative opportunities to Indiana playwrights and theatre makers with a new play development lab that will work with four Indiana playwrights per year to write, develop, and ultimately produce new works. Cohort participants will include two experienced playwrights (at least two full-length play productions) and two emerging playwrights who have never had a full-length play produced.
Under the leadership of Southbank’s board Vice President, Eric Bryant, the Compass Studio will connect playwrights with theatre professionals throughout a year-long development process. Each playwright will receive sustained support through meetings, workshops, readings, feedback, and ultimately full productions of their work. Importantly, there will be no cost to the playwrights to participate.
Your donation can help bring new plays to life in Indianapolis. Contributions to the Compass Studio will support playwright mentorship, weekly workshops, staged readings, and full productions of four original plays, creating a pathway for Indiana writers to see their work come to the stage. By investing in emerging and established playwrights, you are investing in the future of theatre in our Indianapolis. Help us make history by supporting the next generation of Indiana playwrights! Donate today!
Our first group of writers were handpicked to include people with a history of working with Southbank in previous seasons and in various roles, based on playwrights’ creative potential; proven accomplishments; openness to giving and receiving feedback; and respect for the creative process.
Left to right: Lori Herrmann, Marcia Eppich-Harris, Eric Bryant (Compass leader), Casey Ross, Charlie Weimer
Are you an actor who would like to volunteer to participate in the Compass Studio? We will host weekly readings and need up to 6 actors per week to help us out! Scripts will be emailed to you Fridays for in-person readings on Sunday mornings, 10:00-12:30, at Red Door Cafe in downtown Indy. Share your availability with us, and we will schedule you and send you a calendar invitation. Our goal is to rotate actors to provide opportunities for multiple people, so if you are available every week, you might not be scheduled every week. Our aim is to give everyone who would like to participate a fair chance.
Fall 2026 – commence meetings with playwrights and actors
January 2027 – final proposals for plays to develop
October 2027 – staged readings of all four plays
February/March 2028 – Festival of New Works
